The Alabama Department of Transportation and the City of Birmingham are collaborating to create a 10-block "pedestrian-friendly entertainment district" underneath the new bridges being built for Interstate 59/20, and they are seeking public input on the design of the new park space.

ALDOT and the city will host three two-hour public input sessions Tuesday at Boutwell Municipal Auditorium, from 10 a.m. to noon, noon to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., where the public can voice their opinions on the design and functionality of the new space.

The department in a news release said the city and state have no concrete plans for the design of the new park, which is being called CityWalk BHAM, but want to seek input from the community.

"We want the citizens in the community to have a voice in creating this destination and common area," said DeJarvis Leonard, ALDOT East Central Region Engineer. "This is an incredible opportunity for downtown Birmingham to have an open community space."

Possible concepts promoted on the project web site include a carousel, skate park, or water features.

The project will stretch 10 city blocks, from 15th Street North to 25th Street North, under the new interstate bridges, running just north of Boutwell Auditorium and the Birmingham Museum of Art and south of the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex and the Uptown Birmingham entertainment district.

Alabama Department of Transportation

There will be no on or off-ramps for I-59/20 throughout that stretch.

ALDOT says the CityWalk will be possible with the new bridges because the new support columns will be spaced farther apart -- 165 feet instead of the current 65 feet -- and that modern construction techniques will reduce the traffic noise from the interstate above.

"We are excited for CityWalk BHAM and the transformation it will bring to our city," Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said in a news release. "It's amazing how such potential is being created out of this unique space."

City and state officials are working with Birmingham-based firms, Barge Design Solutions on the space layout and o2ideas for branding. ALDOT says the targeted date to finish construction of CityWalk BHAM is spring of 2021, before The World Games Birmingham.

For those who are unable to attend Tuesday's public input session, there will be a second session on July 24 at the Birmingham CrossPlex at the same times listed above.